Ancient One fought like a storm, hurling every Rakghoul she could grab through shimmering portals. She sent them to desolate, empty corners of the galaxy where the grotesque plague they carried could spread no further. But it was like trying to empty the ocean with a cup. The Rakghoul were a tide of corruption, swarming and infecting anything that moved, and they were spreading fast.
She had to get this under control. Now.
Throwing her arms above her head, Ancient One swept them down in a powerful arc. The very air around her seemed to fracture like glass. Shimmering ripples of raw power tore through the street, washing over the Rakghoul horde. Dozens of the creatures simply vanished, ripped from existence. Others, however, seemed to possess a primal cunning, sensing the wave of magic just in time to scramble out of its path.
Bucky breathed a sharp sigh of relief, leveling his rifle to pick off the stragglers.
As Ancient One gathered her energy for another spell, she suddenly froze. Her head tilted, a flicker of confusion on her face. She felt something. A presence, ancient and powerful, brushing against her senses. She glanced at Celeste Morn and saw the same look of dawning realization on her face. They met each other's gaze, a silent acknowledgment of the power they both felt, a presence that could only be described as immense… and searingly hot.
It was coming fast.
That's when they heard it: the guttural roar of an engine, each piston stroke sounding like a controlled explosion. Bucky heard it too, and all three of them spun to face the end of the block.
A flaming muscle car, wreathed in hellfire, fishtailed around the corner, plowing through the Rakghoul horde. It crushed their twisted bodies under its burning tires and incinerated the plague-infested flesh on contact. The driver was thrown from the vehicle in a violent, almost liquid motion, landing with a beast-like, metallic snarl as he charged another Rakghoul.
The creature thrashed for only a moment before a chain, glowing like molten steel, wrapped around its neck. It let out a gurgling shriek of agony as hellfire consumed it, turning it to a pile of smoldering ash in seconds.
Ancient One, Celeste, and Bucky finally got a clear look at the newcomer. His head was a burning, polished skull, with pinpoints of crimson fire glaring from deep within its empty sockets. He wore a black leather biker jacket with a stark white rectangle emblazoned on the chest, and a set of heavy, smoldering chains was coiled around his arm.
For a split second, the Rakghoul horde actually paused, a wave of instinctual, primal fear rippling through their corrupted minds. Then, their hunger overrode their fear, and they surged forward, throwing themselves at the fiery being.
The flaming skull just whipped its arm back and unleashed the chain like a whip. It sliced through a half-dozen of the creatures, the burning links cauterizing them as it passed. Another was caught by the throat, and the flames raced through its body like lightning. It screamed in pure agony before collapsing, reduced to a charred husk.
"Who… what in the hell is that?" Bucky breathed, his voice a mix of awe and a healthy amount of fear.
"It has been a long time since I have seen one," Ancient One said, a grim smile touching her lips. "But if you must know, he is called a Ghost Rider. A Spirit of Vengeance."
The Ghost Rider let out an inhuman roar that seemed to shake the very street. A torrent of fire erupted from its body, engulfing a cluster of Rakghoul. The infected humans shrieked as they were instantly incinerated.
"Well… that's not terrifying at all," Bucky commented dryly.
"Do not worry, Mr. Barnes," Ancient One said, her tone reassuring. "The Rider only brings its wrath upon those who have spilled innocent blood."
"That doesn't make me feel any better!" Bucky shot back.
"Come on," Celeste urged, igniting her lightsaber with a sharp snap-hiss. "He needs our help."
The Jedi Knight charged forward, and the Sorcerer Supreme followed a heartbeat later. Bucky stood frozen for a few seconds, cursed under his breath, and then sprinted to rejoin the fight. With the four of them working in concert, the tide of Rakghoul turned into a rout. It wasn't long before the last of the creatures was hunted down and dispatched.
With the immediate chaos handled, Ancient One swiftly wove a spell, casting them all into the Mirror Dimension to escape any unwanted attention from the locals.
"We got 'em all," Bucky said, lowering his weapon.
"All the ones we could find," Celeste corrected, her voice laced with bitterness. "But even with them gone, Kaecilius still has the Muur Amulet. As long as he holds it, the Rakghoul plague threatens this entire world. He could unleash it anywhere."
"Then we will find him, and we will stop him," Ancient One promised. "But first…" She turned to the silent newcomer, whose fiery eyes seemed to pierce right through them, weighing their very souls.
"It has been a long time, Zarathos," the Ancient One spoke. The Ghost Rider's skull swiveled to face her. "You have a new host."
It stared at her, the flames flickering intently. Then, slowly, the inferno engulfing the metal skull began to recede. Muscle, sinew, and skin flowed back into place, revealing a young Hispanic man in his early twenties. He sagged, catching himself on one knee as he gasped for breath.
Ancient One walked to his side and helped him to his feet.
"And who are you?" she asked gently.
"Robbie Reyes," the young man answered, his voice tired but steady. "And I'm… a friend of Zarathos."